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The sound of the bullet echos around the buildings. Alastor uses his shadow tentacles and wraps it around the smirking sinner. He had come out of the alley to the right, at just the right moment that Lucifer and Alastor were looking at each other instead of ahead. Who would dare bother the King of Hell and the Radio Demon? The gun fell to the ground with a clatter, the shining silver catching the reflection of the lights around them. Alastor caught the glare and held the demon tightly while he looked at the weapon curiously.
“He doesn’t deserve to be King! Someone as weak as him has to be taken care of.” The sinner choked out. Alastor snapped his attention back to the struggling demon. He tightened his hold.
“Ah, yes so I’ve heard.” They had been dealing with assassination attempts for weeks following Vox’s little show. Each time the sinner was swiftly taken care of and never to be seen again. It was sad really. Alastor chuckled and opened his mouth.
“Alastor…” He looked at Lucifer standing next to him, who until now had been looking at the blood leaking out of the bullet wound in his chest. He pressed his hand to his chest and pulled it away, looking at the gold. He suddenly swayed, stumbling to the side and into Alastor.
“Lucifer! What-“ he was cut off as he caught the short king, falling to his knees as he held him. Lucifer leaning heavily against his side, panting heavily. Alastor pressed the wound and realized with shock that the wound wasn’t healing. Alastor snapped back to the demon he held as the sinner started laughing.
“You think I was going to risk the one shot I had with normal weapons?? I knew I would only get one shot. And I made sure it count.” Alastor felt his permanent smile fall enough for the stitches to hold it up, his pulse racing as he went through the words in his head again. Lucifer coughed into his hand, golden blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth as it covered his hand. His face turned pale and he started breathing faster. All around them sinners were watching with mixture of surprise, shock, and barely contained satisfaction. Alastor could feel his emotions getting ahold of him and his ears flattened against his head as he watched the King struggling in his arms. No no this isn’t possible. This wasn’t happening. They had made sure to get all the angelic steel from the ring after the assassination attempts started. Even from Carmilla Carmine as much as she resisted. But when Lucifer and Alastor went together to do something, it got done.
Alastor was shaking his head as the sinner continued to laugh with glee. He felt his smile stretch taught and his antlers grew as the shadows around him started to tremble and grow. Tentacles shot out and smashed into buildings and sinners that were too close, blood splattering the scene, causing the other demons to flee screaming. Alastor was losing control and he relished in the familiar feelings. Ever since Lucifer healed him, and Alastor became his bodyguard, he had come to look forward to their late-night talks and to the short kings company. Their conversations were invigorating, and his companionship welcomed when he was not being a nuisance. But even then, Alastor had started to feel something close to affection for Lucifer as much as he hated to admit it. The last few weeks had been difficult, he had never had these kind of emotions and sensations before, other than with Niffty. But Alastor had to admit that the feelings he had been having for the short king were much warmer than what he felt for the cyclops.
Alastor started to stand and lay Lucifer on the ground when a weak pull on his lapels stopped him. His mind was half animal, his instincts wanting to tear and kill the thing in front of him, a glint of fear finally flashing into the satisfied face still poking out of the hold of the green glowing tentacles.
“Wait.. please don’t leave me.” Lucifer whispered, like he couldn’t speak any louder. The sound cut like a knife through Alastors rage and he felt his throat try to work around the lodge he felt. His eyes ticked as he looked at the sinner. He wanted to make him pay. He wanted to make the sinner suffer, and he wanted to hear his screams. Alastor looked down at Lucifer. His eyes were half lidded and he was breathing shallowly. His chest was covered in gold and his hand was resting next to them on the ground. The hold he had on Alastors clothes fell, and his other arm landed across his chest. Alastor felt something in his chest crack. He looked back at the sinner and started to squeeze, apart of him relishing in the feel of his bones snapping and the screams that echoed around him before he burst, blood and gore splattering around them. Alastor let the clump of flesh fall before he looked back to the king on his arms.
The bullet had hit him in the center of his chest, in the sternum. Alastor pressed his hand to the wound and applied pressure, the panic crawling back through the haze of rage that was quickly drowning. He didn’t know how to think through panic, he stared into Lucifers eyes.
“What do I do, sire? There has to be something.” The static in his voice barely pushed through, background noise compared to the rushing he could feel starting to cloud his ears.
“Take me home.” Lucifer mumbled out. He blinked slowly, his breath stuttering.
“Open your eyes, Lucifer! Everything will be ok.” Alastor slid his other arm under his legs and easily lifted the king in his arms. Lucifers head rested on his shoulder. He was already too cold. He was too limp. Alastor stepped forward as shadows swallowed them, depositing them into the lobby of the hotel. As soon as he saw the other fallen angel and Charlie his panic spiked. His grin threatened to fall again, and he forced his ears back at attention, his façade falling into place around other people. He cannot look weak. He has to be strong. Lucifer will be ok.
“Charlie.” His voice cracked with static on the end of her name as much as he tried to compose himself. Charlie looked over with a smile before shock flashed and she ran over with Vaggie.
“Dad! Oh my god what happened? Why isn’t he healing??” She fluttered her hands over Lucifer, Vaggie standing shocked next to her. At the commotion, the other residents in the lobby ran over, panic and confusion in their faces. Alastor walked over to the couch and went to lay the king on the couch.
“No, hold me.” Lucifer could barely get the words out. Charlie collapsed next to the couch in front of Alastor as he sat heavily. Husk, Angel, and Niffty stood behind her and Vaggie dropped next to her on the floor. Alastor was trying to hold it together, but he could feel the king getting heavier, his breath shallower with each inhale.
“What happened? Dad, can you hear me?” Charlie took his hand and gasped, tears streaming down her face as she registered how cold he was. Sniffling could he heard around the lobby as each demon started crying. I will not cry. Alastors thought was determined but weak. He never took his eyes off Lucifer’s face, noticing distantly that his ears lay limply on his head, no longer strong enough to hold up.
“There was a sinner, he came out of nowhere. He had a gun.” Alastor spoke the facts softly. Enough to let the other members know his emotions even if the smile was stuck on his face. “He has been dealt with. But the Majesty is not healing.” His voice had almost no static, his emotions started up the shadows in the room, the windows darkening as they crawled across the floor and up the walls. “It seems we missed some angelic steel.” These words flowed through the group strongly. Husk cursed and stumbled to the bar, grabbing a bottle from the shelf and starting to drink. Angel sat heavily on the lobby table. Charlie was gasping and sobbing, laying in Vaggies arms and holding her dad's hands. Alastor saw all of this in his peripheral vision; attention locked on Lucifer. His half-lidded eyes were on Charlie, a small smile adorned his face.
“I’m sorry Char-char, we weren’t paying attention. Too caught up.” He choked out. He slowly turned his attention back to Alastor, his eyes shining. A tear slipped out, quickly caught by Alastors fingers. He brushed it aside and gently rubbed his cheek. Lucifer lifted he hand not taken by his daughter and cupped Alastors between his cheek, gazing up.
“I wanted to say bellhop, I have grown quite fond of you as of late.” Lucifer slowly said. The confession stirred Alastors stomach and his chest tightened painfully as his smile trembled. So, it wasn’t just him. He suspected that the king may have developed the same feelings, but he was so focused on figuring out his own he hadn’t taken the time to ask. Now it was too late. Alastor felt bitterness and anger at the irony as his eyes burned with unshed tears he refused to let fall.
“As have I, your majesty.” Alastor said quietly. His thumb brushed Lucifer’s cheek, swiping another tear. Charlie was holding her hand over the wound.
“What if we take the bullet out? Or maybe we can all the sins? Maybe Emily might know something?” Charlie was rambling and hiccuping out ideas. Vaggie knew though, she knew there was nothing they could do. So, she just held Charlie and cried quietly.
“Charlie,” Lucifer breathed out, turning to his daughter and giving her hand a small squeeze. She barely felt it he was so weak. “Listen, I need you to be strong. You are the next ruler.” Lucifer coughed again and Alastor tightened his hold. “I love you, and I’m sorry I wasn’t always there.” He was mumbling now, his hands falling limp. He took a few more shallow breaths and slowly looked back up at Alastor. He couldn’t think. He was watching the gold and red eyes he’s come to love slowly dim. Alastor started a bit at the thought. Love. He loved him. And now he’s dying. The pain was almost consuming him, making his frame tremble. Lucifer tried to reach up and hold Alastors cheek but fell limp back to his chest. Alastor grabbed it and pressed it against his hot face, the chilly fingers causing his own breath to stutter.
“Kiss it all better?” Lucifer mumbled. Alastor flicked between each eye, before leaning down and closing his. He ignored everyone watching. He ignored how still the king was getting in his arms and he lightly pressed his lips against Lucifer’s. His lips were still warm, moving slowly with Alastors, blood seeping into his mouth. The taste of apples and cinnamon fluttered over his tongue as he pulled away, just enough to press his forehead against Lucifer’s. The usual scent of apples and light that followed Lucifer was gradually fading.
Alastor could hear Charlie sobbing next to him. He could feel the shadows trembling around the room and vaguely noticed the light continuing to dim around them. He couldn’t control them anymore. He could barely control the emotions raging inside him. Anger. Grief. The feeling of how unfair it was to finally find some semblance of happiness for himself in Hell just for it to be taken.
“Stay with me, until I fall asleep?” Only Alastor and Charlie heard the words, they huddled over Lucifer, Charlie resting her head against his shoulder while Alastor stayed with is head pressed to Lucifer’s. He still refused to cry. To show anymore emotion than he had already. How could hell be this cruel? He was supposed to be above anything bothering him. He never let anyone get close before, why had this fallen angel burrowed into his heart? Alastor struggled to handle his thoughts and feelings, his antlers starting to elongate. The shadows had reached the huddled bodies on the couch, the rest of the lobby barely visible through the dark. Static buzzed and snapped around them, slowly starting to make the air vibrate. The radios changed channels quietly, growing louder with each passing minute.
Alastor felt Charlie jolt. She trembled and shook Lucifer. “Dad please no. Dad? Open your eyes. Dad?!” Alastor heard the panic and pulled back enough to look at his angels face. It was still and smooth, his eyes closed. His face had a grey tint and red in his cheeks faded. He was cold and still min Alastors arms, having taken his last breath. Alastor stared and stared while Charlie started screaming and shaking Lucifer in his arms. He was frozen, looking at Lucifer’s eyes. Open them. Please Lucifer. Alastor quietly pleaded. Vaggie was holding Charlie now as sobbed wracked her frame, her eyes bouncing between her girlfriend and the king. Alastor finally felt his emotions freeze, the shadows and static sounds around them stilling with him. He felt his heavy antlers and stiff smile. He felt the sticky blood that had seeped into his clothes. He felt the heavy body he held and how it was rapidly losing heat. The crack in his chest was held together by the will he had not to breakdown in front of them. He quietly stood, legs trembling. He turned and lay Lucifers body down on the couch, brushing the dull locks on his head. He kissed Lucifer’s forehead gently, grabbing his arms and folding them on his stomach. He slowly stepped back, keeping his eyes on him as Charlie tore from Vaggie and collapsed on top of Lucifer’s chest.
Her sobs echoed around the lobby. Alastor felt cold still seeping into him, as if the dead cold from Lucifer was clinging. He willed all the gathering shadows to him, wrapping them around his body and taking him away from the scene. He stepped into his room, falling to his knees. His body was trembling and he gasped out as the pain flared and started burning through him. He threw his hands out, putting wards up against anyone that may come to his door, blocking sound as well. He covers his face and closes his eyes, his grief bowing his shoulders until his head touched the floor. The shadows flung out from him and smashed into his furniture, crumbling everything around him and throwing the room in darkness. All the radios screeched and burst apart. The static that surrounded Alastor buzzed and popped around him aggressively.
Alastor let his emotions consume him. He wanted to sink into the floor and never leave. He wanted to tear all of hell apart. He wanted to rage and tear and scream. But all he could do right now was shatter.